Family Matters
by Flowerstar
Summary: <html><head></head>Set after Croc 2 and my entry for The 2014 Manchester Fiction Prize. Croc returned to Crocodile Island after recovering the stolen eggs from Baron Dante's evil grasp but sadly, he felt torn between his biological family and his adoptive family. Noticing that something is wrong with their son, his parents consoled him in his time of need and they provided him a word of advice.</html>


Croc, _Croc 2_, Croc's parents, his little brother, Beany the Bird, Gobbos, Mainland Gobbos, King Rufus, Baron Dante, Dantinis, Gobbo Archipelago, Crocodile Island, other characters, levels, items and worlds are properties of Argonaut Software Limited (now known as Argonaut Games) and Fox Interactive. I own the storyline and the ideas behind this fanfiction.

As you can see, this is my second Croc fanfiction (which is set after Croc 2 when Croc recovered the stolen eggs from Baron Dante's evil, twisted and secret village worlds). This is also my entry for the 2014 Manchester Fiction Prize competition which is hosted by the Manchester Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University so technically, I wrote this specifically for this competition. Originally, I was planning on uploading this story on the 18th October (a day after the contest) but since I unfortunately didn't win, I decided to submit it earlier. Hopefully, by the time next year's competition comes up, I will step up my game. I'm surprised fanfiction is actually allowed in the competition after I put two and two together when I asked the writing school so many questions via the e-mails I kept sending to it since I'm new to the contest and I didn't understand the rules very well. They sounded extremely complicated.

The main reason why this one-shot is short is because every entrant is expected to write a short story of up to 2,500 words in length. According to the rules, there is no minimum word count and titles, blank lines and page numbers are not included in the word count. I'm still gutted I didn't win in this year's competition but in next year's competition, I'm thinking of writing a short story of one of my original characters. After all, this competition is a creative writing contest for a reason.

I know the quote below is irrelevant to _Croc 2_ but this is what inspired me to write this one-shot in the first place.

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><p>"<em>You had to grow without us and since we weren't be able to be there for the first half of your life, Bloom, we promise we will be there for the rest. We know you didn't raise yourself and we're very grateful for those who stood by you, that's why we invited them here so we can both thank them personally.<em>" - King Oritel, _Winx Club: The Secret of the Lost Kingdom _

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><p><span>Family Matters<span>

After rescuing his unborn siblings from the evil clutches of the sinister sorcerer, Baron Dante, and his legion of Dantinis, Croc returned to the safety of his island home which have been dubbed as Crocodile Island. It is not really the official name of the isle but it doesn't have a name yet.

The island is kind of small which consists of bright yellow sand, a few palm trees which were growing on it and a little basket which contains three light blue eggs. Furthermore, there isn't much to the island. Speaking of them, they were Croc's unborn siblings and therefore, his parents' baby children. The only inhabitants are Croc's birth family (hence the unofficial name of the island) and unlike normal crocodiles, they are bipedal and anthropomorphic.

Croc's mum sports a pink and white striped body suit, a matching pink hat on her head, she have eyelashes and lipstick.

Croc's father wears a blue and white striped body suit, he clutches a blue pipe in one of his green-scaled hands and he has a black moustache on his snout.

In terms of his physical appearance, Croc's younger brother is basically a miniature version of him but without a backpack. So, he really doesn't have any much detail to him besides his inability to talk.

Finally, Croc is a petite, adorable crocodile with two sapphire, beady eyes, a long snout, two nostrils and one fang which are protruding from his mouth. He also has a yellow-coloured belly, a short green-scaled tail which he uses for attacking his fiendish foes and enemies, he has short arms, four fingered hands and massive, three clawed feet. He wears a brown backpack on his back. Most importantly, the Gobbos have named him, "Croc", which actually suits him perfectly.

He is happy and relieved to return to his real home after a gruelling quest to recover the three crocodile eggs but he couldn't help but feel unsatisfied. Though, he didn't spend much time on the island and getting to know his true family, he started to miss his adoptive family but this is comprehensible, considering that they rescued, raised and taught him the ways of being a Gobbo during his childhood.

During his second adventure of searching painstakingly for his missing relatives, he and the Mainland Gobbos have learned how to talk, despite the fact that he can speak a few phrases whenever he utilises his abilities. On the other hand, he still needs to get the gist of the English language and he isn't fluent in it yet. The same goes for the Mainland Gobbos. When they converse in this language, their grammar and spelling is a bit off because they are still learning. Most notably, they talk in the third person.

His mamma padded over to her son and pulled him into a warm embrace as she gave a tiny peck to one of his cheeks which is a small token of her thanks. "Thank you ever so much for recovering the eggs. I don't know what I would do without my babies. They mean the world to me."

"No problem, mum." Croc replied with a sincere smile across his reptilian face, returning the hug.

"Can you be a dear and carefully place the eggs back in the basket?"

"Sure."

So, Croc did as he is told upon the request of his mother. He plodded to where the basket is located and by the time he reached it, he bent down on his knees and unstrapped his backpack. He settled it on the sand in order to rummage through it. Seeing as he has packed numerous items, it took him a while to find the eggs which he retrieved during the quest which took place after his second escapade. He withdrew them and gently inserts them in the basket before he picks up his backpack by the straps and he placed it over his back. Once this is taken care of, he rose up from his spot.

Due to her intuition, his mother walked over to her son. She had a feeling that something is bothering him. It is in her best interest to look out for him. "What is the matter, honey? Aren't you happy now that you've finally found your biological family?"

Distraught with fear for his adoptive family's future and wellbeing, watery tears were instantly welling up in Croc's cerulean eyes. He choked on his tears as his words were let out of his reptilian lips. "Croc misses Gobbos. Croc thinks Baron Dante will cause trouble for Gobbos again while Croc is here at home."

"I can feel your concern for them and it's understandable that you are torn between here and your adoptive home. It's almost like having an identity crisis. You don't know whether you belong to your adoptive home or you belong to your species. Fret not, sweetie, I'm certain that he's long gone. You have defeated him, didn't you?"

"I have, mum, but Croc worried that he will return."

"I surely hope you're right. My husband and I couldn't return by ourselves due to Baron Dante's existence at Gobbo Archipelago. If you worry too much, you might get frown lines and I really don't want this to happen to my precious baby. Why don't you relax to take your mind of him?"

Taking his mum's suggestion, Croc wiped away his tears with his hands and he sat down on the sand before he took off his brown-coloured backpack and set it on the right side of him. As he began to relax under the shade which is provided by the massive, green leaves of a palm tree, he witnessed his younger brother playing. While he watched his sibling enjoying his time in the sun, he didn't notice his mum come his way as well as her footsteps. Her adult-sized footprints were left in the sand, every time she took a step.

"Perhaps you'd like to enlighten me with your journey to our island home?" His mum inquired, she hoped that will listening to his stories about his adventures will help him occupy his brain with something that is less stressful than saving the world.

"Of course."

As soon as he agreed to tell his tale to his mother, he started to tell the story of how the Gobbos and King Rufus saved him, took care of him and taught him everything they know and he explained about the invasion of the Gobbo Valley, followed by the tale of his recent adventure of searching for his family. This caught the attention of his father and his younger brother which resulted in them making their way to his mummy and him.

Judging by the overall size of the island, it didn't take them long to arrive at their destination. By the time he have eventually finished with his storytelling, his ears picked up the distinct sounds of wings flapping, which indicates the imminent arrival of his old companion.

Curious to find out where the sounds are coming from, he dug out a pair of Magic Eye-Zoomers (which allows him to look around his surroundings, whether they are far away or near him) from his trusty backpack. Basically, they are a pair of binoculars.

Using them to his advantage, he gazed into them while he held them in his hands and moved them in several directions. As luck would have it, he got a slightly better bearing at the incoming object which is soaring towards Crocodile Island at a break-neck speed. The more the incoming object is approaching the area, the closer it is to there and the more clearly it is to make out what the object is or who it is.

To his surprise, it is none other than his teammate, Beany the Bird, who has come for a visit. When she drew near to the island the instant she caught a glimpse of some activity on the island, she prepared for a touchdown to investigate what is happening there. She floated in the air while she flapped her feathery wings momentarily until she spotted her acquaintance from the past.

Beany the Bird is a mystical yellow bird with a pair of black wings, two large, buggy eyes and an orange, triangular-shaped beak and miniscule, black talons. She is Croc's teammate and she used to be his main method of transportation. Given that she can traverse across long distances with her natural skill to fly, she can help him travel from island to island. They make up each part of the Gobbo Archipelago.

Not expecting a visit from his past comrade any time soon, he jumped in astonishment and his innocent, blue eyes immediately bulged out of their sockets in reaction to the bird's arrival. "Beany! It's nice to see you again! What are you doing here?"

"I came here after King Rufus have ordered me to look for you and to check up on how you're doing. It took me much longer than I expected to locate you, seeing as I didn't have a map with me. Anyway, I'll be sticking around with you just in case you change your mind and you want to live with the Gobbos or you have chosen to visit them for a while." Beany the Bird explained, giving the crusading crocodile her account of the reason why she came all this way to drop by for a visit. Having the desire to catch up on things with her adventurous buddy, she made small talk with him. Telling by her enthusiasm, she is looking forward to conversing with him for the first time in ages. "But it's fantastic to see you again, Croc! It's been a while since our last adventure. How are things?"

"Everything fine but Croc is homesick for other home. Croc is worried for safety of Gobbos." The green-skinned, heroic reptile frowned as he responded to his partner's question. As much as he loved nothing more than to spend some quality time with either of his families in peace, it is hard to decide which family he wanted to stay with.

"Croc, you're a big guy now. You've proven yourself to be capable of pulling off extraordinary feats that a child couldn't do. Heck, we've saved the Gobbos from Baron Dante and his goons. You may be young but you have the mind of an adult. I'm sure that you can make the decisions on your own."

This has prompt Croc to think things through. Should he stay at where he is now or return to the sanctuary of the Volcano Island/Forest Island? How are the Gobbos doing without him to protect them? There were so many questions which were entering his mind at the moment, one after the other. There were many questions which were left unanswered. He dreads to imagine if Baron Dante have come back from beyond the grave once more to seek revenge on him. Sadly, none of his families are safe from the tyrant's wrath.

Once his decision is final, Croc built up the courage to confront his mum with his feelings and his yearning to defend the Gobbos from forthcoming danger. "Mum, Croc made choice to revisit adoptive home. I'm sure you want it this way. Gobbos might need Croc's help in future."

"I completely understand. You have made the decision to return to your adoptive family just in case your arch-nemesis terrorised the Mainland and the Gobbo Archipelago once again. There is no telling when he will return." Croc's mother nodded, holding her son's four fingered hands in hers in an affectionate manner. As much as she didn't want to let him go, she is aware that her off springs will have to leave the nest eventually. "Don't worry, sweetheart, we can take care of ourselves but I wish you luck on your endeavours and for the future. I wish you can stay but unfortunately, this is for the best."

The father is the next to provide his son with his own advice. He removed his pipe from his mouth which enables him to speak with his son even as he placed one of his hands on one of the crusading crocodile's shoulders. As he spoke, his eyes were locked on to the young crocodile's light sapphire eyes. "Son, I want you to know that even though we weren't with you during the majority of your childhood, we will be a part of the rest of your life." He added with another piece of intelligent and meaningful guidance. "No matter where you go in life, son, you'll always have us by your side in spirit. Never forget that, my boy."

"Whenever you have the time, you can visit us occasionally. That way we'll never be apart and we'll always be close by."

"Are you ready to leave?" Beany the Bird asked the main protagonist, shooting a glance at him as if she is beckoning him to depart from his true home and his kin. After taking one last glance at them, he firmly nodded which implied that he confirmed his choice to set off for his former home. Though it pains him to leave his family, it is the right thing to do. "Then let's go! King Rufus and the Gobbos must be very eager to welcome you back to the Archipelago."

And with that, the yellow bird fluttered around the crocodile while he sadly waved goodbye to his birth family; sprinkles of white stars were descending on to him from her. Thus, his height decreases drastically in size as he vanishes in a swirl of immeasurable quantity of mystical, kaleidoscopic sparklies or stars when he is levitated into the air.

"Whoaaaaaaa…!" Croc hollered at the top of his voice, feeling the magic being in full effect to its utmost limit and the adrenaline is building up. Actually, this is his usual bellow every time the bird gives him a lift.

While he clings on for dear life onto the yellow-coloured bird's talons, he could hear his birth parents calling out for him from the bottom while they were unbelievably high up in the air. However, since they're airborne, it is kind of difficult to make out what his mum and dad were saying. Their toddler child would have bid farewell to his courageous brother but alas, he is too young to speak at the moment.

"Goodbye, my darling! We'll miss you! Please come back soon!"

"Be brave, son! You're more than welcome to visit us whenever you want to!"

The instant they are out of earshot, he couldn't wait for the his adoptive father and the Gobbos to welcome them back to the Volcano Island with open arms but little did he know that returning to them would result in future quests which awaits him on the horizon. He knew that ridding the world of his archenemy once and for all won't be easy since he keeps returning. Will Baron Dante reappear for the third time? Only time will tell.

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><p>Believe it or not, this fanfiction is inspired from <em>Winx Club: The Secret of the Lost Kingdom<em>. Actually, the quotes which King Oritel told Bloom towards the end of the movie inspired the story to be more precise. They were inspirational, meaningful, moving and magical (but not literally) at the same time, not to mention they were full of wisdom. There are no words to describe how beautiful the words are and they are the kind of words you'll have to keep in mind. This caused me to come up with the storyline of this one-shot. Prior to coming up with a proper storyline for a fanfiction, I couldn't think up anything at the time, that is until I re-watched _Winx Club: The Secret of the Lost Kingdom_ on YouTube since I initially thought that I haven't viewed this movie before.

I felt that just like Bloom, Croc started his life as an orphan and during the events of _Croc 2_, he realised that he's not an orphan after all and he sets off on an epic quest to find his long lost family which were searching for him in vain.

If you've noticed on my Twitter and Facebook feed, I'm hopefully planning on writing a crossover fanfiction of Ratchet & Clank and Atomic Betty. Since their responsibilities and missions are kinda similar, I felt that they should team up to vanquish intergalactic evil. Since X-5 became jealous of a fellow robot in the episode, "_Bye Bye X-5_", there's no doubt he'll be squabbling with Clank (aside from Sparky) and be envy of him. Taking matters into their own hands (or paws in Ratchet's case), Betty or Ratchet will stop the fighting or arguing between their team mates and remind them of their missions. Unfortunately, I still haven't come up with a proper storyline yet so please bare with me. Besides, I can't use the same crash landing idea which I previously used in my first fanfiction crossover, "_Crash Landing on the Mushroom Kingdom_", and in my song fanfiction which is based on said crossover, "_See The Light_". I'm still surprised that no one have written a Ratchet & Clank and Atomic Betty crossover fanfiction yet.

When the PlayStation 2 is first released in my country, I didn't have it at the time, let alone bought it. Therefore, I didn't bought the first _Ratchet & Clank_ game. Plus, I'm normally not into shooting games. However, I've heard of it and the rest of the games before as time whizzed by. I know it's extremely late to get kinda interested in the _Ratchet & Clank_ series but I think next year's _Ratchet & Clank_ movie is a good start to get into it. Thanks to one of my friends on Facebook, I knew about the series but only bit by bit. I'm currently taking baby steps.

In the meantime, I'll be focusing on my university assignments, carry out research for them and setting up a new portfolio on a different website to show off my 3D work, artwork and concept artwork. Anyway, I'd appreciate it if you could take your time to read and review this story. I'd be mightily grateful. Besides, I worked so hard on said story.

Fortunately for me, I sent this entry to the competition before the deadline. When I was at the library during the summer holidays, I noticed a poster on the door which advertised the competition and after I read what is on it, I decided to enter it seeing as writing is up my alley and the prize money is exceedingly tempting. £10,000 is a lot of moolah, you know. Anyhoo, you know the drill, as I used to say, review away and please no flames or unnecessary harsh comments. Though, I don't mind constructive criticism as long as you're pointing out the mistakes, whether they are grammar or spelling mistakes, and you're telling me what I need to improve on.


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